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ATTEST BMWENWWR J se-LPN H.GLAUBEF ll i JosErI-I H. GLAUBER,OFGLEVELAND, onto; THE crrrzenssavmes & 'mwsr GOM- PAIN Y EXECU'IOR OFTHE ESTATE OF SAID JOSEPH H. GLAUBER, DECEASED.

saucer.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JosEPI-I H. GLAUBER, citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Faucets, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention appertains to improvements in faucets, basin cocks, bibs,or other like devices used for lavatory, laundry or drinking purposes,and particularly in that class of faucets styled selfclosing in whichthe valve is opened by a partial rotation of the handle and is closed bya strong spring and wherein rollers or balls ride between opposedinclines to lift the valve stem and its handle. Briefly stated, theimprovements reside; first, in the escalloped ellipsoidal handle whichaffords a good hand grip to overcome the action of the springnotwithstanding the highly finished and smooth exterior of the handle;second, in the union nut and the bonnet which cooperates with the handlein giving different settingsfor the handle and permits quick and.convenient removal of the valve from the faucet body without dismantlingthe handle and its working parts; third, 1n the locklng means forsecuring the handle, bonnet, union nut and valve stem parts together sothat a fine and reliable adjustment and setting of the parts may be madein assembling the faucet and in taking up wear; fourth, in the springwasher or its equivalent which provides for a limited play of the handleaxially of the stem while affording sufficlent tension to prevent aloose or wabbly connection; and fifth, in an effective and durablecombination of solid rollers and a separator carrier disk which willpermit individual removal and replacement of the rollers while alsoadapting all the rollers to be safely held for common removal andhandling.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a faucetembodying my improvements, and Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectionthrough the faucet viewed at right angles to Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a bottom view of thehandle alone. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the handle, union nut and valvestem in their assembled relations .and as they appear when bodilyremoved Specification of Letters Patent.

cap for the handle, and Figs. 7, 8, 9, l0, l1

and 12 are perspective views of the locking and bearing members and thevalve stem.

Patented Dec. 3., 1918.. Application filed December 16, 1912. Serial No.736,976. a

viewof the bonnet and a sectional View of the union nut in itspermanently united relation therewith. Fig. ll is a sectional view ofthe body. Fig. .15 is a plan view of the rollers and disk carrier, oneof the rollers being in section. Fig. 16 is a plan view of the diskcarrier with the rollers removed therefrom.

The faucet comprises a chambered body 2 havlng an intake end 3, adischarge spout 4, a valve seat5, and an externally-threaded extension6. An internallythreaded nut 7 y is screw-engaged with this extension 6,and an inturned flange 8 at the upper end of nut 7 affords a permanentrotatable engagement for the nut with a bushing or, bonnet member 9.This member comprises an enlarged head 10 provided witha succession ofelevations and depressions annularly at its top, an annular groove 11next beneath said head, an annular seating portion 12 of approximatelythe same diameter as extension 6, and a reduced extremity 14 made to fitsnugly within extension 6. sealing washer 15 is interposed betweenseating portion 12 of member 9 and the upper end of extension 6,and adifferential bore 16 centrally ofthis member affords a a bearing seatfor the valve .stem 17 and its gland member 18. A coiled spring 19 ismounted upon the stem between gland member 18 and the valve head 20, andthe strength of this spring must be ample to resist the pressure of thewater and avoid leakage at the seat 5.

The means for lifting the valve stem against the tension of the springcomprises a rotatable handle QI-detachably and ad is hollow and providedwith a succession of elevations and depressions 23upon its inner and apacking upper portion and a set of tapering rollers 24 occupy thedepressions with a very slight,

loose play when the valve is seated. The

. stem 17 extends through the handlewhich is particularly distinguishedin construction in that it is an ellipsoidal body preferably providedwith four large flat escallops 25 in its rounded edges, thevertically-flattened faces 25 being oppositely paired at the longer endsof the handle. The object in making the handle with this peculiarconfiguration is many-fold; cleanliness is conserved, a smooth andpolished finish is eas- I ily obtained in the original making and alsopermanently maintained without difficult labor at all times thereafter,and an extra firm finger-grip and hand-hold is made possible whichpermits positive rotation of the handle regardless of the resistance ofthe strong spring 19 and the frequent experience of a slippery, soapyhand-engagement, but the hand-hold surfaces are such that it is notconvenient or practicable to afiix or tie something thereto to hold thehandle open for a wasteful flow of water. The handle is also unusuallyattractive in its ornamental aspects, but this is a matter of design andis incidental to the useful and serviceable qualities set forth.

The locking means for the handle consists of four parts affixed orsleeved to the threaded end of the valve stem, that is, a springcoilbearing washer 26, Fig. 11, which has a D-shaped opening or is ofD-shape to slidably lock with the flat-faced portion 27 of the valvestem a hexagon nut 28 to screwengage the threaded portion of the stemand to fix the position of the washer in bearing engagement with thehandle; a round member 29 having a D-shaped opening to slidably lockwith the flat-sided portion 27 of the stem and provided with two prongsor segmental projections 30 which are fiat inside to sleeve snugly overtwo sides of nut 28; and a second thinner lock nut 31 to screw upon thestem and hold the locking member 29 in place. Nut 31 may be omitted,especially if the valve stem is shortened and the indexholder or screwcap 32 is made of less height so that member 29 will have only a limitedend play and be prevented from disengagement from nut 28, say when thefaucet is inverted. Axial adjustment of the said lockmg parts on thestem is desired for two reasons; first, to fix the tension of thespring; and second, to take up wear at either the valve-seat, therollers 24 andtheir bearing surfaces, or the bearing washer 26. Onesixthof a rotation of nut 28 gives a very fine adjustment and locking member29 is slidably affixed to the stem to release the nut, and after one ora multiple of such rotations to lock therewith again. Arbitraryrequirements limit the size and relative strengthof these parts, andalso dictate the material used, generallya soft and noncorrodingmaterial such as brass; and therefore, I make the round locking member29 and'the interior of screw cap 32 of approxi mately the same diameterso as to provide a backing or sustaining body for the projections 30,thereby guarding them against lateral strain, twist and breakage. Thefunction of the spring washer 26 is to prevent loose or a wabbly play ofthe handle on the valve stem, but its tension is of course secondary tothat ofspring l9 and in no manner interferes with the seating of thevalve which must have an independent limited axial movement in respectto the handle to permit closure at the valve seat, not only when thevalve is new but also in use as the valve seat wears. The limited roomwithin the screw cap is one reason' why I prefer to employ the D-shapedspring 26 as a hearing washer in lieu of a separate washer and spring,an arrangement which might also be used if compactness is of noimportance.

The rollers 2% which sustain all the strain of operations and the fulltension of the spring is another part of the faucet which has beenespecially devised for strength and durability in connection with aseparator and carrier disk 33. Thus, in Figs. 15 and 16 I show arelatively thin disk of spring metal having openings 3st radiallytherein with rounded lips 35 projected inwardly and. toward each otherfrom the opposite curved edges of each opening. These openings areadapted to receive the wide-bearing rollers 24:, and the lips 35 andtheir narrow support ing parts of the disk are adapted to be flexed in agreater or less degree to permit the rollers to be individually insertedand removed, each roller having convex depres sions 36 in the sidesthereof adapting the roller to rotate and even rock thereon. The centralopening 37 in the disk is larger than the valve stem, and permits thedisk with its aflixed rollers to be bodily removed and replaced inassembling or dismantling the faucet. Each roller, although having stockremoved at its sides, is nevertheless solid to sustain the end thrustcommunicated thereto by the strong spring, and the slight engagement ofthe lips 35 with the rollers is sufficient to hold the rollers in placewithout appreciable friction or bind, thereby makin a very efficient anddurable combination of parts for performing the primary functions ofthese members.

Now reverting to the combined union nut and bonnet, these two membersare rotatabiy united and constructed in detail as described so that thefaucet may be easily dismantled and reassembled by unskilled personswithout altering or disturbing fixed ad-- justments between the handle,valve stem and said nut and bonnet. see Fig. 5 which shows the saidparts bodily removed from the faucet body but otherwise intact. The factthat the union nut 7 is independently rotatable in respect to the bonnetand handle, although carried in fixed relation therewith, permits thehandle, bonnet and stem to be romesses An adjustable setting is ofadvantage in faucets or cocks used in inverted positions; in faucetshaving lever handles; in faucets where the setting is necessarily closeto a wall; when rotation of the faucet body is required in settingoperations; in setting faucets right and left hand on a lavatory basinor sink, and in handles having indicating characters permanently fixedthereon. The riding surfaces for the rollers being on both the bonnetand the handle, these two parts must be jointly revolved in settingoperations to preserve their, proper working relations. This is madepossible by the use of the union nut 7 and this nut may be made eitherof cast or drawn metal, whereast-he bonnet may be made of hard orspecial metal to take the wear of the traveling rollers. The bonnetextension 1 f fits snugly within the body extension 6 and the union nutscrews upon the outside thereof, thereby providing a doublereinforcement for the threaded extension which safeguards it fromsplitting and leakage. Extra washers 15 may also be used at the outsetwithin the nut 7 so as to raise the handle and valve parts, especiallyif the tension of thespring 19 is excessive for any given waterconnection. These extra washers can be removed at any time to permitadditional screw-pressure to be applied through the union nut toincrease the tension of the spring. This can be done to advantage fromthe standpoint of appearance also as the washers and joint will beconcealed by the nut.

The use of a connected bonnet and nut member, a union nut, a handle, andadjustable means to lock said handle in sleeved adjustable relationswith said bonnet member and the union nut, and said bonnet member beingsecured solely by said union nut for rotatable adjustment thereof andthe parts carried thereby.

2. In a faucet, a chambered body having a threaded extension, a valveand stem therefor, a union nut to screw-engage said extension, a bonnetmember rotatably mounted upon said extension and rotatably united to andjointly removable with said union nut, and a hollow handle for said stemin sleeved engagement with both said nut a handle rotatably mounted uponsaid stem and bonnetiand unionenut, means between sald handle and bonnetcooperating w1th a sprlng toproduce an axlal movement of said stem, andadjustable locking means to secure said handle and stem together.

4:. In a faucet, a threaded valve stem, a handle, and adjustable meansto rotatably secure said handle upon said stem, comprising a nut, apronged member having interlocking engagement with said stem and saidnut, and an inclosing body fitted snugly over said pronged member toprovide a sustaining backing therefor.

5. In a selfclosing faucet, a valve and a flat-sided stem, a separatebonnet and handle sleeved to rotate independently upon said stein, astrong spring between said bonnet and valve to press the valve upon itsseat, a flat coiled spring having a central D-shaped opening to engagethe flat-sided stem and adapted to bear upon said handle, and lockingmeans to adjustably secure said parts together.

6. A self-closing faucet having fixed part with inclines, a valve memberand a rotatable handle therefor and rollers for said handle providedwith side concavities, in

combination with a separator disk for said rollers having radially-aimedspring lips adapted to seat loosely within said roller concavities.

7. A self-closing faucet having a fixed part with inclines, a valvemember and a handle mounted to rotate thereon, and conical rollers tosupport said handle having concave depressions at both ends thereof, incombination with a separator member for said rollers comprising a diskhaving openings radially therein with rounded lips projected inwardlyfrom the opposite, edges of each opening, said lips being adapted toseat loosely Within the said depressions in the ends of the saidrollers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.J OSElI-l H. GLAUBER.

Witnesses:

F. C. Mosson, E. M. Fisnnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

I Washington, I). G. i

